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Scientists look at the antioxidant properties of the parasol tree

2018.10.31

After the authors confirmed the antifungal properties of the parasol tree (Polyscias fulva), they set out to investigate the plant’s antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. In a study that was published in the journal BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, they found that the plant was effective both in killing bacteria and reducing free radicals.

Salmonella paratyphi B

Shigella flexneri

Proteus mirabilis

The crude extract exhibited antibacterial properties against S. typhi, E. aerogenes, P. aeruginosa, and E. coli (ATCC 10536) at a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 2,000 to 8,000 micrograms per milliliter (mcg/mL). The ethyle acetate and n-butanol fractions had a more active effect, requiring only a MIC of 500 to 1,000 mcg/mL. Among the isolated compounds, beta-sitosterol and 3-O-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl-hederagenin had the lowest MIC at only 6.25 to 100 mcg/mL.

In terms of antioxidant capacity, the crude extract and methyl atrarate demonstrated the best ability to scavenge DPPH free radicals and those arising from the oxidation of the linoleic acid respectively.

For the researchers, these findings proved that the parasol tree indeed has both antimicrobial and antioxidant properties that make it a potential source of phytomedicine.